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Pianist Louis Heriveaux has been active in the Atlanta jazz scene for some time now, but only recently released his first album as a leader. One listen to “Triadic Episode” will make you wonder why this opportunity didn’t come sooner because it sounds like Louis is ready to take his place alongside some of today’s best players. Louis sites Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson and Mulgrew Miller as some of his influences, and the Peterson influence is obvious in that Heriveaux has a similar precise and clean attack, but Louis’ solos tend to move a little more to the outside than Oscar’s. Louis is one of those jazz pianists who has a big two-handed sound that is often common with those who have a classical background. Although his press kit makes no mention of a gospel background, you can definitely hear that southern US African-American church sound in his playing. If I had heard this CD in a blindfold test, I would have guessed that he was from the south.
The music on “Triadic Episode” falls roughly into the hard bop genre, but not in an overly cliché way. Many of the tune’s arrangements have interesting changeups, and drummer Terreon Gully plays all over the kit in that modern way that drummers do these days. Herriveaux’s piano solos tend to be rooted in the blues, but he uses this as a jumping off point, somewhat similar to Cedar Walton. There is a lot of inventive interaction between all three players, but don’t expect anything to leap out at you, subtlety and an avoidance of grandstanding are hallmarks of this brilliant trio.
About half of these tracks are originals, and the rest standards, some of which have been noticeably altered. Some standout cuts include a high energy deconstruction of “All the Things You Are” in 7/8 time, and album opener, “From Day to Day”, which is a sophisticated post bop waltz by Mulgrew Miller. This is hard bop for the new century, and a great CD for those who don’t need gimmicks, just really smart and soulful playing.